


the inherent innocence of a school night

by taxicab12



Series: we change together [13]
Category: Leverage
Genre: F/M, M/M, They’re good parents but they’re definitely not perfect, eliot hates him for this, hardison doesn’t believe in bedtime, they’re all trying their best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:48:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25703854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taxicab12/pseuds/taxicab12
Summary: “Just go to sleep!” Parker snapped.“Think everything’s okay?” Hardison asked, just as Parker stomped down the stairs.“Parker,” Eliot said, but she ignored him, letting the front door swing shut behind her.
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Eliot Spencer, Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer
Series: we change together [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1792609
Comments: 8
Kudos: 100





	the inherent innocence of a school night

“Just go to sleep!” Parker snapped, her voice carrying down the stairs, to where Hardison and Eliot sat in the living room.

Eliot silently picked up the remote, turning off the game that they had previously been very invested in.

“Think everything’s okay?” Hardison asked, just as Parker stomped down the stairs.

Well, she didn’t really stomp. Parker’s feet never made even the slightest sound when she was moving, but her face and posture gave the impression that she was stomping, at least in her own Parker way.

“Parker,” Eliot said, but she ignored him, letting the front door swing shut behind her. He hesitated only an instant, then started up the stairs, Hardison right at his heels.

“What just happened?” Owen asked, poking his head out of his room as they passed. “Is Parker okay?”

“She’s fine,” Eliot said. “Go to bed.”

“It’s ten pm.” Hardison raised a brow.

“It’s a school night,” Eliot said.

Owen laughed and shut his door in their faces.

Hardison moved first, knocking softly on Evie’s door. “Hey.”

Evie opened the door, not currently crying, but her red eyes indicated that she had been. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t even know what’s going on,” he said. “Are you okay?”

“I just didn’t want to go to bed.” She sat crossed legged on her bed. “She was already stressed, I shouldn’t have annoyed her.”

“No, hey,” Eliot said. “Parker’s the adult here. You  _should_ go to bed, but that doesn’t mean she should’ve exploded at you.”

“I’m gonna get you a glass of water,” Hardison said, lightly squeezing Eliot’s arm as he walked away. He took his time going down the stairs, knowing that Eliot was the best at talking to Evie. When he returned, the two of them were sitting on her bed, Evie laughing as Eliot ruffled her hair.

“Thanks,” she said, taking the water from Hardison.

“You should get some sleep.” Eliot stood, kissing her atop the head. “You’ve got that history test tomorrow.”

“I’ve got that in the bag,” she said, taking a sip of her water.

Eliot gave her a soft glare, to which she laughed.

“I’m going to bed,” she said. “Get the light for me?”

Hardison squeezed her hand. “Goodnight.”

They went back downstairs in silence, fingers interlocking.

“You’re so good with her,” Hardison said, as they sat back on the couch, Eliot turning the game back on.

“She’s a good kid,” he said.

“Of course. But you get her better than I do. Just like you’ve always gotten Parker better than me.”

“That’s not true.” Eliot frowned.

“Look, man, that came out wrong. I’m not jealous, I mean it. I love Parker, we both love Parker, but you understand her better than I do. It’s just a fact.”

He sighed. “Obviously, you shouldn’t blow up at a kid like that. But I don’t think she meant to, she just... Parker doesn’t remember what it’s like to be a kid.”

“What, and you do, grandpa?”

“Don’t call me that, Hardison,” Eliot growled.

“We share a bathroom. I know you been dying your grays.”

“Dammit, Hardison, that’s not the point.”

“I know.”

They both laughed.

“Really,” Eliot said. “Parker never got to be a kid. You and I may not have had perfect childhoods, but she spent hers stealing cars and diamonds and being honed into the perfect thief. Not much time for minor childhood rebellion like watching Netflix past her bedtime. Staying up late on a school night isn’t even an idea in your head when you didn’t go to school.”

“Man, I wish Netflix were a thing when I was a kid.”

“Why, so you could’ve wasted more time on a computer than you did already?”

“I know you aren’t being unappreciative, Eliot. Tread lightly, or I’ll name your next fake ID something stupid. Like Trevor.”

“I knew a guy named Trevor once. He could snap every bone in your body with one hand.”

“He’d have to get through you first,” Hardison smiled.

Eliot scowled, but kissed him.

“You’re right, though,” Hardison said. “About Parker. With Owen, we haven’t had to do much of this kind of parenting. She loves Evie, but I don’t think she gets what being a ten-year-old is like.”

“I can talk to her. At least, get her to apologize to Evie.”

“Good idea, babe.”

Eliot swore, his attention suddenly back on the game in front of them. 

Hardison laughed, tucking himself under Eliot’s arm.

When the TV went to commercial, Eliot stood to get a beer, rolling his eyes at Hardison when he asked for an orange soda. The door behind Hardison opened quietly, so quietly he hardly noticed until Parker spoke.

“Is she still awake?” She asked.

“Parker,” he said. “Uh, yeah, probably. Why?”

“I want to apologize.” She raced up the stairs, a movement which would’ve caused tons of creaking had it been anyone else.

Eliot came back with two beers and no soda, kissing Hardison’s cheek as he sat. “Guess we should have more faith in her.”

“Never underestimate Parker.”

Parker came back down a few minutes later, plopping on the couch beside them, her feet laid across both their laps.

Eliot turned his head, meeting her eyes for a moment, but that was all they needed.

In the morning, they would have responsibilities, important conversations to have, children to raise, and work to do, but for the moment, just the three of them on that couch might as well have been the whole world.

Parker took Hardison’s hand. That was all they needed.


End file.
